Four-wheel drive for automobiles



FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed June 4. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 B. G. JOHNSON FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE FOR AUTOMOBILES Oct. 31, 1933.

Filed June 4, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a four wheel drive for automobiles.

One of the main objects of this invention is to provide an improved mechanical four wheel driving means for an automobile and similar motor vehicles, wherein the entire driving'mechanism operates through one main line shaft means, which has all its shaft parts alined and has its front and rear ends connected to the front and rear differentials for operating the same.

Another object is to provide a four wheel driving mechanism comprising an alined drive shaft means having an engine interposed therein, also a pair of transmissions and a pair of associated free-wheeling units on said shaft means, one transmission and one unit being positioned be tween each end of the engine and the corresponding difierential, thereby providing an improved four wheel drive with modern features in present day automobiles, and also obviating any necessity of the heretofore customary intermediate diiferential or third differential needed in the known four wheel driving mechanisms.

A further object is to provide a four wheel driving mechanism of this type with a novel gear shift which operates both transmissions in unison for simultaneously shifting them to either of the several operative positions.

These and various other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which the invention is illustrated in its preferred forms of construction, it being understood that various other arrangements and forms of construction may be resorted to for carrying out the objects and purposes of this invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a plan view of an automobile chassis equipped with my present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the control means for operating the two transmissions in unison.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of the control means, partly in section, taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

The present invention pertains to a mechanical four wheel driving mechanism, and is shown in the drawings as applied to the chassis of an automobile or motor vehicle including the pair of front wheels W, and pair of rear wheels W, which are driven by the front and rear driving axles or transverse shaft means A and A, which in turn are actuated by the front and rear differentials D and D, positioned in their respective differential housings. Said front and rear pairs of wheels and associated members are connected by the frame bars I?" and springs S thereon, in the usual manner.

The alined drive shaft means 10 utilized in the presentinvention, extends to and is connected with the front and rear differentials D and D. It includes the rear propeller shaft 11 which has universal connection with the stub shaft or shaft portion 12 extending from the rear difierential D, and includes the shaft portion or member 13 extending from the front differential D, for operating the two differentials together.

The prime mover in this four wheel driving mechanism is preferably in the form of an internal combustion engine or gasoline engine E, which is interposed in the forward part of said alined drive shaft means 10, substantially midway between said shaft members 11 and 13. A front transmission 16 and a rear transmission 16 are respectively interposed in said shaft means 10, between the front end of the engine and the front differential, and the rear end of the engine and the rear differential, preferably inthe positions shown in the drawings. A front clutch mechanism 1''] and a rear clutch mechanism 17 are also positioned on shaft means 10, between the ends of the engine and the pair of transmissions 16 and 16', being preferably connected with the ends of the transmissions adjacent the engine, substantially as indicated.

This four wheel driving mechanism is also provided with a pair of free-wheeling units, comprising a front free-wheeling unit 18 and a rear free-wheeling unit 18' which are associated with the pair of transmissions 16 and 16'; and in the present form of invention illustrated herein the rear free-wheeling unit 18' is a standard freee wheeling unit which can be changed in the usual manner, so that under normal conditions it can be used for conventional driving, and can also be used for unconventional driving. It is therefore mounted in the rear transmission 16, like in any present day automobile, and has universal connection with the rear propeller shaft IL The front unit 18 is positioned rearwardly of the front transmission 16, and it is preferably placed adjacent the front of engine E, between it and the front clutch mechanism. This front unit 18 thus constantly functions as a free-wheeling unit.

Control. means is provided for operating the transmission 16 and 16 in unison, and this means co prises a pair of shift levers or shafts 20 and 20 which take the place of the ordinary shift levers and have straight upper stem portions extending from the upper parts 21 and 21' of the transmission mechanism 16 and 16; and a pair of partly hollow shafts or sleeves 22 and 22 wherein the upper ends of said shafts and 20 are slidably movable, each sleeve having a spring 23 therein to urge said sleeve upwards on the shaft. IA horizontalcconnecting .shaft..24.is journalledlindoracket members 25 arising from'engine E and is provided with a front arm 26 and a rear arm 26', each having a knob 27, 27, at the end engaging in a front socket 28 and in azrear socket 28' provided on sleeves .22 and 22 respectively, to actuate the'sanre. Aleveror'handie 29 extends upwardly from the rear end of shaft 24, for manually actuating or turning the same, whereby to swing arms '26 -and26 sideways, thus turning the knobs in the-sockets and swinging or tilting sleeves 22 and 22 sideways, substantially as'indicated in:Fig. :4, so:as1to:move the shift :lever 20 to the various positions :re- .quired *in shifting the gears. Handle'229 with shaft 24 is likewise movedfcrwardly andrearwardly tomove sleeves 22 and '22 andshift levers 20 and 20' forwardly and rearwardly, :for the purpose of shifting the gears into the various positions of speed'that are :usually .provided'wii'h automobiles and :vehicles .of 'this :kind. :Spring .23 serves to slidesleeve 22'on..shaft 20 andikeep knob .28 in'socket 29 :during the .tilting operation thereof. This control means thus provides for shifting the levers .20 and 20', and thereby the transmissions in-unison, into the particular position desired.

Means'is alsoxprovided for operatingthe front and rear clutch mechanismsl'land LIinnnison, which includesa pair oflever earmsr-30 and 30 extending from the .clutch :mechanisms I7 and 17, similartoithe usual:clutchpcontrolzlevers for 'operating-them:in the'usual manner. .-A;connecting rod 31 connects said arms 30 and 30, (3116.521. pedal 32-.is provided on'arm fic' Iforactuating said arms and therethrough the clutches'in unison.

The fan means :herein preferably includes :a pair of fans 33'mountedat the front of .theengine, the-same beingrdrivenzby a'belt or flexible .member 34 which travels iovera pair .of .pulleys -35connectedwith the fan shafts, and a pulley '36 connected :with the engine shaft and being preferably positioned on the frontend of the engine'and therear partofxfront fre'e wheeling unit 18,-substantially-as indicated in the drawings.

.The means for -cranking the engine J in this invention gpreferablyzcomprises' a gear '38 actuated pyea shaft 39 iournalledin suitable bearing-means 40 ,provided beneath thehousing means 10f :the front partzof the drivingmechanism 'anda ring gear l il'mounted on said alineddrive shaft-means on the forward ;part of free-wheeling :unit .18, said gear 41 being actuatediby thez'gear 38. This engine cranking means :is .more :fuliy :disclosed and 2 claimed in 'applicants prior application for patent for engine cranking 'mechanism, Serial :Number 542,780, filed June8g1931, nowPatent N0. l;892,348 dated December 27,1932.

This iimproved four wheel "driving mechanism has all'ihe maindrive shaft "partspand likewise the axes lOf :the driving mechanisms, all arranged .inaiinement as one alined drivesha'ft'mechanisrn.

It also includes the modern'free wheeling units, in conjunction with the pair of transmissions; randhereby'thefree-wheelingunits serve to compensate'for any variation in the speed of'travel azpair of rear wheels also front and rear standard and control means for operating said transmissions simultaneously including azshift lever arisdifferentials to operate the same, alined drive shaft means having its two ends operatively coninected to the two differentials, and driving means on said shaft-means including an engine thereon 'alsoa transmission including change speed gear- Lingipositioned between each differential and the adjacent end ofthe engine, a free-wheeling unit associated with 'each transmission, and a meva .pair of rear wheels, a diiferentialrfnr each'rpair wheels, alined drive shaft uneans having its two ends operatively connected to the .diiferentials, a .driving engine interposed .in said shaft 1105 .means, a transmission :inclu'ding "change speed gearing between each .:diiferential and the ad- ,jacent .end of the engine,:a :clutch mechanismibetween eachtransmissionaandthe adjacent end 'of the engine, control means for operating said'i110 clutch mechanism in". unison ito function together for driving the automobile, and other control means including a shift .lever on eachtransmission'andian operating shaft with means for connecting the "same to said levers to operate the I transmissions unison.

.4. .Thesubjectiinatter of claim 3: and including a free-.wheelingunitiwhich is constantly -free- Wheeling "connected ito the front end of 1 the engine, and .:a conventional lockable free-wheeling 2120 unit-providedin the rear transmission.

'5. Inan automobile having a pair of frontand a pair of rear wheels also front and rear differentials "foroperating the same, means "fordriving the'differentialsincluding shaft means having its .125

ends connected with said-differentialsan'cl carrying an engine thereon, two transmissions .posi- :tioned adjacent the'en'ds of the engine, afreewheeling'unit associated with each transmission,

ing from each transmission, a member having slidable connection with each lever, a control shaftand handlethereon f or manually operating it, and arms on said shaft with co-acting' means on said arms and said slidable members whereby to tilt said-shift levers for operating them-in unison laterally and longitudinally of the automobile.

6. In-an automobile having a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels, four-wheel'driving'ineans therefor comprising a differential for each pair of wheels, alined drive shaft means having its two ends operativelyconnected to said differenialsQa driving engine-interposed in said shaft means, two transmissions on said shaft means adjacent the two ends of the engine, 'a mechanical clutch between each transmission and the adjacent end of the engine, a free wheeling unit connected to the front end of the engine, which 150 other control means including a shift lever on each transmission and an operating shaft with means for connecting the same to said levers to operate them and the transmissions in unison.

BROR G. JOHNSON. 

